


The Woods are Lovely, Dark, and Deep

by Neathra



Category: Bartimaeus - Jonathan Stroud
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Horror, Magicians being Magicians, Mistaken for Cheating, Romance, Sexual Harassment, Slavic folklore Elements, Supernatural Elements, The author is good at neither
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27455497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neathra/pseuds/Neathra
Summary: There is tension brewing in London. No, not the war - the Information Ministers recent engagement may be torn apart by a combination of his fiance's insecurities and his colleagues' meddling.When the Prime Minister decides to spend a week at a secluded town in the Forest of Dean, it seems like the perfect oppurnity for John and Elizabeth to understand and repair these cracks. But, the presence of so many powerful magicians has caused ancient powers to stir, and when has a magician ever known what powers to not meddle with?
Relationships: Nathaniel (Bartimaeus)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	The Woods are Lovely, Dark, and Deep

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the Bartimaeus fanfiction that has been straining to escape my brain for a few years. Its the big one with Elizabeth (my main Bart Sequence OC). A lot of my headcanons are going in, as well as some interesting pieces of Eastern European folklore that I learned about and adore. Although, I will admit no major research has been done besides watching Giselle for the hundredth time. I'm still writing the plot too, so expect tags to be added. I will say it does end happily. I'm just not quite sure how we're gonna get there. 
> 
> Also, I tend to avoid both romance and horror and this story has both of them so, please excuse any genre fails.

The forest was deep and dense and alive. Thick green growths and tall imposing trees. Deep, dense, alive… and Old. Very old. Old enough to have been old when humanity was still knocking stones together. Old enough to remember that this world was a world of water and earth: a place fire and air only could visit.

There were things. In the woods, as old as the trees. And as old as the mountains and the rivers. Beings that did not particularly like the creatures of flesh and blood and air and flame that now controlled the world. Humans, they though, were temporary, weak and arrogant.

Crashing through these deep woods – and likely not helping anything’s opinion of humanity – was a dark haired young man. He was chasing someone who had passed that way not long before – radiating pain. For someone who knew the power of names, he was fairly reckless with hers.

“Elizabeth. Elizabeth – it’s getting dark. I’m sorry. I…” he paused as the woods suddenly opened up into a gloomy clearing. A perfectly circular break in the seemingly endless trees.

Despite the lateness of the hour, a thick fog hung over the ground. At the exact center of the clearing, a young woman was sitting curled up on a rock. She was soaked to the skin, blonde hair hanging limply over her face and arms and she cried.

“Go away John.”

The mist swirled around the young man’s feet as he slowly approached the woman. “Lizzy, I’m so sorry. I never would want to make you feel -” this time he cut off with a (word) as his foot missed a step and he tumbled into waist deep water.

The indignant splashing, caused the young woman to look up at him, peaking through her hair. She glared at him.

“Just leave me alone. I don’t feel like playing along to your games any longer.”

“Lizzy, I swear, you misinterpreted what you saw.” The young man pleaded as he waded out into the increasingly deep water to stand next to the rock. “I would never betray you like that.”

As he approached, the woman uncurled from her hunched position more and more. Red rimmed eyes glared untrustingly at him. “I don’t believe you.”

The fading light of the sun reflected back off her eyes. They seemed darker than usual.

“I’ll do anything to prove it to you.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

The two stood face to face for a moment, before the young woman reached out and placed her hands on his shoulders. When she spoke, her voice was cold and emotionless.

“Then you can die.” And she shoved him under.

**Author's Note:**

> I tagged sexual harassment just to be safe. It's a catalyst to the events in the story, but not the main focus. There is a certain female character who doesn't acknowledge a second character's boundaries and is using that to intentionally upset a third character. An unwanted kiss is the worst it gets, but I wanted to be sure that nobody would be unintentionally upset.


End file.
